Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue — April 7, 2019

“Keep your lovin’ brother happy.”

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 385th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 6

This is the 10th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Script Analysis: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” — Part 4: Themes

Read the screenplay for the hit animated movie and analyze it this week.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Standoff

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 3,978 consecutive days and counting.

Interview: Robin Bissell

The writer-director of the movie drama The Best of Enemies.

Daily Dialogue — April 6, 2019

Tom: You’ve got to understand, your father has plans for you. Many times, he and I have talked about your future. Michael: Talked to my…

Taking Control of One’s Personal Narrative

“You’re not telling the story to change what happened. You’re telling the story to change you.”

Script Analysis: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” — Part 3: Character

Read the screenplay for the hit animated movie and analyze it this week.

Beginning. Middle. End.

Consider the universality of narrative in three movements.

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 5

This is the 10th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Writing and the Creative Life: Get a Mentor

A mentor can help you manage the ups and downs of learning the craft and a writing career.

Daily Dialogue — April 5, 2019

“This is a story of boy meets girl.”

Reader Question: What makes a movie a big budget versus a small budget?

There are critical choices a writer can make at the script stage which directly influence a project’s budget… and its potential viability…

Character Type: Warrior

“The keys to Warrior characters is to determine who they fight… how they fight… and why they fight.”

Scene Description Spotlight: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”

The ending sequence includes a most interesting sentence…

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 4

This is the 10th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

The Business of Screenwriting: What to do if your movie sucks

“I don’t care how expensive your shrink is or how good they are, when confronted with a story — your story — as a movie and it both sucks…

Daily Dialogue — April 4, 2019

“I really have to tell you something… I love you.”

“Get the damn thing done!”

The one unalterable truth about writing a first draft.

Reader Question: What exactly is a “script polish”?

“I’ve always heard the term, but no one I’ve asked before seems to know the answer.”

Tweetstorm: Carter Blanchard with some tips on pitching

“Excitement, Energy and Emotion. Show them how excited you are to write this script. Pitch with big positive energy. And connect to the…

A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 3

This is the 10th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work my…

Script To Screen: “Rocky”

A memorable scene from Rocky (written by Sylvester Stallone).

Daily Dialogue — April 3, 2019

“Did you get any bad guys today, Daddy?”